Little Talks
by SakataMakoto
Summary: Midorima feels troubled, but doesn't know why, and it appears he's not the only one. Sometimes even the quiet ones need to talk. Mentioned AoKise.


It was already dark when Midorima left the sports centre. He had gone to watch some meaningless preliminary matches, just to get his thoughts in order. He could pretty much predict the outcome of all the matches, but that was only because he had paid enough attention to their information source. All in all, it hadn't been an eye opening experience, but since he didn't have much more in his life than basketball, it was alright.

There was no one there anymore, the entire place seemed deserted. After all, he had sneaked in some practice while he was there. Watching others play had made him itchy. He sighed and regretted telling Takao to leave before him. He didn't feel like walking alone at the moment, but he didn't know why. Shuutoku was doing good. His grades were good. Training went well. Green hair swished soundlessly as he shook his head and picked up the pace. He just decided to hurry along.

Just as he rounded the corner, he nearly bumped into a crouched figure that was sitting in front of a set of vending machines. He stepped aside, planning to pay no attention to drunkards or the like.  
'I'm sorry!' the figure said, sobbing.  
Midorima stopped. His expression one of disgusted disbelief as he recognized that voice.  
'Kise?'

The blonde looked up, tears in his eyes, an awkward mix of sadness and happiness on his face. The vending machines cast a white light on the scene, making it all the more sad.  
'Midorimacchi!'  
'What are you doing here, you're disgracing yourself.' Still disgusted, but he couldn't leave his former team mate alone like this, even if it was Kise. He once more regretted not going home right away, then this could have been avoided. He stood and waited as Kise sobbed again and wiped his face with his sleeve. Such an unlikely thing for a model to do, Midorima thought.

'Everybody hates me!' Kise said, adding a sob to it. It was then that Midorima spotted the empty cans of beer.  
'Are you drunk?' he asked incredulously. He bent down a bit and indeed smelled beer. It grossed him out even more, but it also got him more worried. Kise wouldn't just go and drink beer, he had basketball and modelling to think of, and even if he was pretty carefree, he did honestly care about those things.

The green-haired shooter crouched as well. He didn't like it but he had no choice but to talk to Kise now, and get him back on his feet.  
'Hey,' he started, but doubted what else he could say. 'Let's... sit down. There are benches over there.'

'And don't drink any more beer!' he added more fiercely. Kise looked at him, all surprise. It seems he hadn't expected this turn of events. Midorima didn't wait for Kise to get up but turned around and headed toward the nearest bench.  
'Midorimacchi,' Kise whispered, slowly getting up, trying to stay steady.

Kise sat down at a respectable distance. Even in this state of mind, he knew Midorima didn't like him to get too close, and if there was anything he didn't want, it was to be left alone.  
'Do... do you hate me, Midorimacchi?' Kise asked, no longer sobbing but a little bit soar. His face looked blotched, his eyes red from crying. What on earth did this idiot get in his head?

Midorima turned towards Kise and took a few seconds to answer.  
'I don't hate you, you idiot.' The truth would do. He had never been fond of admitting any such feelings, but seeing Kise in this state wasn't something he could bear. It would also affect his basketball, and that was something he or any of the others would not tolerate.

Kise just stared at him now, like his was slowly taking in his words, taking a long time to process them... or waiting for more. Midorima sight softly. What a drag. But alright. Let's hear what's up and all that and get it over with.  
'Why would you think everyone hates you anyway?' he added. Kise had everything a boy could dream of. Talent. Good looks. He had a bright future, no matter what he did, if he could use his skills effectively in life. But then again, maybe the brightest of futures would not be any good without some people to share it with. Akashi mentioned something like this before, a long time ago.

The blonde looked away when he started to speak.  
'I think Aominecchi feels rejected. Ever since I stopped looking up to him, he's acting more self-centred than ever. He doesn't care about basketball unless it's a real challenge. And if we can't give it to him, he'll reject us... he'll reject me... When... When that happens, I...' the boy stopped. Midorima could see the light of the lamp nearby in the other's eyes. Please don't cry, he thought.

'I don't think I can handle that. I... it would break me.'  
The shooter thought for a while about what he should say. Listening was one thing, answering something completely different. He vaguely guessed that there was something more going. After all, he had seen them grow closer, train together, seen the way they looked at each other... He couldn't imagine what it was like to feel like that, but it was supposed to be something special altogether.

Midorima breathed in, and tried his best to sound nice.  
'So be the challenge. It's that simple.' Kise didn't reply. Not nice enough? Maybe it was something Kise already knew as well, but didn't know how to accomplish.  
'Okay, maybe it's not simple to do, but it's the best shot you've got. Aomine is stubborn, but he isn't stupid or blind. He'll recognise effort when he sees it, and I think that's what he expects of you, not you giving up.'

Once again it took a while before the blonde said anything, which was already very unusual. Midorima was about to get up and leave, since he had no more to add to his advice. The rest would be private matter between the two.

'Maybe you're right... You're... strangely nice to me, Midorimacchi. It's... weird.' Kise showed a faint smile and shoved a bit closer to Midorima. 'I'm sorry, but I didn't expect that of you.'  
He leaned it, looking at the other's face, as if he was looking for something.  
'You reek of beer,' Midorima grunted. Kise backed off.

'I get to see a whole different side of Midorimacchi,' Kise said, giggling a little. He sure was drunk, the shooter thought, and considered getting up and just walking away.  
'If...if you don't hate me, then what do you think of me?' the blonde asked, hesitatingly at first, then demanding. Something made it impossible for Midorima to refuse.

He scratched his head, something very uncharacteristic of him. Uncertainty suited him ill, he thought, but Kise found it somehow charming. You could pretend not to care all you want, the blonde thought, but your true colours always shine through at some point.

'Kise... I don't hate you. And I... don't hate to be around you.' Midorima's voice was quieter now, softer than it had ever sounded to the blonde copycat player. He sort of liked this change, and sat a bit closer again.  
'Oh?' Kise urged him to go on. So all of Midorima's scorn wasn't meant to be scorn? Then what was it?

'In fact I like it. I liked being around everyone, but with you alone I just... don't know how to act.' Kise's eyes widened. Well that was new! He hoped he would remember all of this.  
Midorima looked away, seemingly shy! Was he possibly blushing? Was it that awkward for him to... Wait a minute! No, that couldn't be. Kise shook his head.

'You're so chatty and easy-going. And I'm not. It works in group, because then I can just... be there.' He glanced at Kise now, checking up on his expression of surprise and curiosity.  
'So, well. That's pretty much it.' He added, since there wasn't much more to be said.  
'Pretty much? Kise said, laughing a bit. 'That doesn't sound like something you would say, Midorimacchi.'

The green-haired shooter remained silent. For a moment, he was lost in his own train of thoughts. He just told Kise something that was bothering him without him knowing it did. It felt strange. He felt as if he had lost the burden that he was carrying along for a long time.  
Then he remembered their actual topic of talk.

'So, uh, Kise... why did you say everybody hates you?' Kise's smile vanished, making place for a look of doubt.  
'It's just... Kurokocchi has been acting so distant, and he's mean to me! He wants me to win, but he wants to win himself as well, saying that he didn't like our basketball anymore and... I don't know... I don't get it.'

'There's not telling what he's thinking,' Midorima agreed. 'But I never got along with him, so I can't really say what he thinks of you.'  
'And Momoi got angry at me as well! She said I should do something about Aominecchi, but... well, it seems whatever I can do or say to him won't be any use.'  
Midorima nodded. That seemed plausible enough. But it was no reason to think she'd hate him.  
'Don't bother with her, she was probably just venting to you, not being angry at you.'

Midorima pushed his glasses back up, not aware of Kise's intense stare.  
'You're actually much more... how do I say it... people... aware,' Kise said, impressed and surprised once again. Who would have thought? He knew the shooter of his former team was smart, but he thought he was pretty much ignorant of the people around him. Ignorant of emotions...

'Hey. Don't underestimate me,' Midorima said sternly. Kise nodded, a faint smile on his lips.  
'And then there's Murasakibara. He's... he's okay. He just wants to crush everyone who's serious about anything else besides... munching endlessly on candy.'

'That's it? Kise, please, apart from your worries about Aomine, it's nothing.' The shooter sighed, and shook his head. 'I got worried for nothing, ' he mumbled 'thinking you'd quit basketball...' Kise blinked. It's nothing? It's... wait, maybe the other was right. He had nothing to worry about if he just continued doing what he was best at! Playing basketball, getting better to keep up with the others, especially Aominecchi. Modelling too, since it came so natural to him and he really enjoyed it. He smiled, a real smile that spread to his eyes.  
Midorima noticed it and found it hard to suppress a tiny smile of his own. while he felt an unfamiliar warmth inside. Talking to Kise like this had been an entirely new thing for him, being honest, talking to someone about things that mattered but were hard to talk about.

'Thank you,' the blonde said, his eyes locked onto Midorima's. 'You're a good friend.' Kise got up.  
'I am not your... ' Midorima shook his head slightly. They helped each other out.  
'Fine,' he admitted, 'I guess friend is okay.'  
'That's a good start, Midorimacchi! You need friends as much as I do! See you around!'

Kise smiled widely, waving as he walked away, leaving Midorima behind on the bench.

Friends, huh? What an idiot. Yet, Midorima couldn't deny that he felt better now. And maybe next time they bumped into each other, he wouldn't feel so awkward around the model. 


End file.
